US coal major Peabody Energy president and CEO Jim Grech has been made chairperson of the National Coal Council (NCC), with the appointment formalised at a meeting at the White House on Thursday.

The NCC provides advice and recommendations to the US Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, on general policy matters relating to coal and the coal industry. The council was re-established by the Department of Energy in June 2025 after its charter was allowed to lapse in 2021.

Grech said coal remained central to US energy security and affordability.

“The United States has more coal than any nation has in any one energy source, and coal's importance to US energy security and affordability is enormous,” he said.

He added that coal also held potential beyond power generation, including in the supply of strategic materials.

“Coal also represents untapped potential in such areas as rare earth elements and critical minerals, which are also cornerstones of American national security. I am honoured to serve in this role with the National Coal Council and look forward to working with the Trump Administration, Secretary Wright, Jimmy Brock as vice chair and our coal industry partners to advance policies that further strengthen American energy reliability and affordability,” Grech said.

Peabody said US coal-fired power generation rose by an estimated 13% in 2025, supported by extended coal plant operating lives, cost advantages relative to alternative generation sources and rising electricity demand from AI and data centres. The company noted that increased US coal use contributed to global coal demand reaching a new record of about 8.8-billion tonnes in 2025, based on International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates.

The NCC’s advisory role includes providing reports and advice on federal policy affecting the production, marketing and use of coal, as well as addressing technological, economic, regulatory and societal issues related to coal production and utilisation. The council also considers the appropriate balance among various elements of federal coal-related programmes.

Grech joined Peabody in 2021 and has more than 35 years of experience in the coal and natural resources sector. He also serves on the boards of America’s Power, the National Mining Association and Blue Danube, and is a member of the IEA’s Coal Industry Advisory Board.

In addition, he is an appointed member of the Surface Transportation Board’s Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee.

Founded in the 1880s, Peabody is the largest coal producer in the US, operating eight thermal coal mines and one metallurgical coal mine domestically, as well as a portfolio of metallurgical and seaborne thermal coal assets in Australia. Its North Antelope Rochelle mine in Wyoming’s Powder River basin is the largest surface coal mine in the western hemisphere and produces about 12% of total US coal output.